By Ethan Nichols, Staff Writer

Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters visited Cincinnati on Friday with a slate of other Democrats to bring attention to state corruption scandals. The group – which included Ohio Auditor candidate Taylor Sappington, Ohio Secretary of State candidate Chelsea Clark and Hamilton County Clerk of Court Pavan Parik – aimed to tie Republicans and Governor Mike DeWine to recent corruption in Ohio. 

In particular, this group sought to tie the GOP to House Bill 6 (HB 6). The bill, a nuclear energy bailout that was engulfed in scandal after former House Speaker Larry Householder was arrested on federal bribery charges in 2020. Prosecutors have alleged that Householder orchestrated a $60 million bribery scheme in exchange for passing HB 6.

Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters said that “at a time when too many Ohioans are worried about high costs and making ends meet, Mike DeWine and his fellow Republicans are making you pay the price for their corruption while Democrats are laser-focused on investing in working families.”

Sappington, who will go up against incumbent Republican Auditor Dave Yost this November, commented on the nature of the legislation. 

“I know firsthand how hard it is when you’re struggling to make ends meet – to put food on the table or pay for prescription drugs. The last thing we should be asking hard-working Ohioans to shell out for is GOP corruption that puts working families further and further behind.”

Democrats face an uphill battle with races for Governor, Senate, State Legislature and other statewide offices. In a state former President Trump won by eight points, Democrats hope to tie Republicans to state corruption scandals.